Rotary internal-combustion engine.



Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

J. F. BOURLON.

ROTARY INTERNAL GOMEUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.19,1911.

JULES F. BOURLON, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSTTS.

:ROTARlY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.` Patented Apr. 16, 1.912.

Application filed January 19, 1911. Serial vNo. 603,463.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULES F. BoUnLoN, o-f Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a s ecication.

This invention re ates to engines operated by.I gases under pressure, and more particularly to rotary internal combustion engines.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved rotary internal combustion engine which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

lith the above object in view the invention consists in the im roved rotary internal combustion engine ereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation ,of one embodiment .of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

As illustrated in the drawing, the engine comprises an annular cylinder 1 having two opposed sets ofcradially disposed arms 2 secured to central bearings 4. The cylinder 1 is ,provided with a slot 5 in its inner periphery and is mounted upon a `base 6 so that the cylinder shall be stationary.

lVithin the annular cylinder 1 are two diametrically opposed .pistons Sand 9, each connected by a radial arm 10, to a central hub 12, Vwhich is mounted on a shaft 14, the said shaft being journaled to rotate in the bearings 4.' The arms 10 extend through the slot 5 and move therein as the pistons are rotated. Although in lthe present embodiment two ,pistons are shown, it is to be understood that any desired number of pistons may be employed, it being merelyT necessary to provide an annulus of sufficient diameter to allow proper control'of the pis'- tons and abutments The .front end of each piston is Wedgeshaped and the rear ends of the pistons. are formed with flanges 15 and 16 which overlie the slot 5 and close the latter to form a tight bottom 'for the explosion chambers. The edges of the slot 5 may be grooved to re- Ceive tonguesformed on the edges of the flanges and pistons to enable tighter joints to be formed between the flanges and thev rior of the cylinder 1, said pipes being p1o vided with any approved controlling means for regulating the supply of combustible therethrough.4 Spark plugs 22, 23, 24 and 25 are provided by means of which the charges are exploded. The product-s of combustionare exhausted through pipes 26, 27, 28 and 29. There are four sets of these adjuncts in the present instance but their number may be increased as desired.

F Ounradially movable abutments 30, 3l, 32 and 33 are slidingly mounted in .casings 34, 35, 36 and 37 respectively which projectradiallyoutward from the cylinder 1. Four levers 40, 4-1, 42' andl 43 are fulcrumed4 in pedestals 44 locatedone fourth of a circumference apart. These levers are provided with elongated slots 45 at their ends, and the stem of each abutment is pivotally connected tothe adjacent ends of contiguous levers. The construction is such that when the front or wedge-shaped end of a piston engages the inner edgeof an abutment, the latter is forced outwardly, and the next preceding and following abutments are moved inwardly. Thus, when the front end of the piston S engages the abutment 30, the latter is forced outwardly and the abutments 31 and 33, attached to the levers 40 and 42, are

moved inwardly against the flanges 15 and 16, respectively, thus closing y the cylinder behind each piston and .forming walls of explosion chambers 46 and 48. At this time the explosive charges are forced through the pipes 17 and 19 into the explosion chambers 46 and 48, respectively, and exploded by tho spark plugs 22 and 24, the exhaust ports being closed by the bodies of the pistons.

Thus it will. be noted that the abutments 31v and 33 move inward simultaneously and charges are exploded simultaneously behind the pistons. As soon as the exhaust ports 26 and 28 are uncovered by the pistons, the products of combustion are through these ports. l/Vhcn the rear edges of the flanges 15 and 16 pass the abutment-s 33 and 31 respectively, the slot 5 is uncovered and the cylinder is open to the atmosphere to allow a thorough scavenging.

Then the piston 8 reaches the abutment 31 the latter is forced outwardly and the abutments 80 and 32 are moved inwardly and then a charge is admitted behind the pistons 8 and 9 through the pipes 18 and 20 to the explosion chambers 47 and 4:9 respectively and exploded by the plugs 23 and 25 respectively. This sequence of operations continues around, the cycle, taking place volve.

' details of construction shown and (described,

' comprising an annular cylinder, a

with both pistons simultaneously four times during each revolution of the shaft 14.

Although the invention is shown and described with the pistons rotatable and the cylinder stationary, it is within the purview of my invention to have the pistons stationary, and have While I have illustrated and described a precise embodiment of theinvention, I Aam aware that many modications can be made therein by any person skilled lin the. art without depart-ing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the but t What I claim is: f y 1. A rotary internal combustionv engine comprising an annular cylinder, a lurality of pistons operating therein, radia ly movable abutments, and means whereby when an abutment in advance of a piston is moved outwardly the abutment to the rear of the piston is moved inwardly. y

2. A rotary internal combustion engine plurality of pistons operating therein, a plurality of levers pivotally mounted on said cylinder, and a pluralityoi' radially movable abutments each pivotally connected to the adja cent ends oi contiguous levers.

3. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising an annular cylinder` provided with a continuous slot in its inner periphery, a piston in said cylinder having a flange overlying said slot, a plurality of abutments adapted to coact with said flange to form an explosion chamber, and connections whereby when yan abutment in advance of the piston is moved outwardly the abutment to the rear of the piston is moved inwardly.

4. A rotary Yinternal combustion engine comprising an annular lcylinder provided with a continuous slot on its innenperiphery, a piston in said cylinder having a .'{iange for overlyingsaid slot, a plurality of f radially movable abutments each adapted to discharged the cylinder arranged to re' arms connecting the pistons to the shaft\and coact with said ange, and means coperating with said abutments whereby when the abutment in advance of the piston is moved radially outward, the abutment at therear of the piston is simultaneously moved radially inward. i

5. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising an annular cylinder provided with radially disposed arms, bearings secured to saidarms, a plurality of pistons in said cylinderv having radially disposed arms' connected to a center boss, a shaft ournaled in said bea-rings and carrying said boss, a plurality of' radially movable abutments, and means operatively connecting said abutmeans whereby when the abutment in advance oi.V a piston is moved radially outward, the abutment at the rear of the piston is simultaneously moved 'radially inward.

6. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising an annular'cylinder having a sloton its interior periphery, rality ofpistons in said cylinder, radial passing through said slot, a flange on each piston tting said slot, a plurality of abutments, and means cooperating with said abutments, whereby when the abutment in advance of a piston is moved outwardly the abutment at the rear of the piston is moved inwardly to cooperate with the :dange of the piston. l l

7. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising 'an annular cylinder, a plurality of pistons in said cylinder, a plurality of movable abutments, roperative connections between the abutments,means for supplying Vexplosive charges to the cylinder, and means the charges simultaneously for exploding behind each of the pistons. y

' 8. A rotary internal 'combustion engine comprising an annular cylinder, a plurality of pistons in said cylinder, a plurality of sets of diametrically opposed abutments, operative connections between the abutments whereby when one abutment is moved outwardly thev preceding and the following abutments are moved inwardly to form the rear walls of explosion chambers, and means for exploding the charges.

9. A rotary internal combustion engine, comprising an annular cylinder, a piston operating therein, radially movable abutments operated by said piston, operative connections between the 'abutments whereby when an abutment in advance of a piston is moved outwardly the abutment to the rear of the piston is moved inwardly, and means for supplying explosive charges to the cylinder.

10. A rotary internal combustion engine, comprising an annular cylinder, a piston operating therein, a series of abutments moved outwardly by the piston, and operative connections between the abutments, whereby a shaft, a pluwhen an abutment in advance of the piston piston is moved outwardly" the abutment at 10 is moved outwardly the abutment to .the the rear of the piston is moved inwardl rear of the piston is moved inwardly. In testimony whereof I have affix my 11. A rotary internal combustlon englne signature, in thepresence of two witnesses.

comprising a cylinder a plurality of pistons v in said cylinder, a plurality of abutments JULES F. BOURLON- moved outwardly by said pistons, and oper- Witnesses: 1 ative 4'connections betweenv the abutments ANGELO G. SCANYINI,

whereby'when the abutment in advance of a WILLIAM lJ. SPERL. 

